The Smartphone Theory of Birth Rate Decline Still Doesn't Hold Up
A new NBER study suffers from the same flaws plaguing previous research on phones and fertility rates.
Technology
The Next AI Success Story Might Be Nepal
A market-friendly ruling party, abundant energy, and ample talent could jumpstart a new tech hub in the Himalayas.
Why You Can't Settle Mars or Colonize the Moon Without Real Property Rights
The Outer Space Treaty and other legal obstacles could block our sci-fi future.
Reading: The Quietest Way To Disobey
Today's anxieties about digital culture are prefigured in the long and wobbly history of books.
New Embryo Editing Technique Takes Us a Step Closer to Designing Babies Without Disease
Gene-editing human embryos may now be a reality.
The Best Way To Keep Data Centers From Driving Up Electricity Costs
Don't impose a moratorium. Produce more energy.
Data Center Wars: North Carolina Resists Innovation While Texas Considers Market-Based Rules
As data centers dominate public debate, two states reveal their approach. Texas has taken a stance in line with market needs, while North Carolina reacts to fear and bad press.
Bernie Sanders' AI Wealth Fund Bill Shows That He Doesn't Understand AI or Wealth
Sanders' plan would impose a one-time tax of 50 percent of AI companies' stock and give the government voting shares and the power to block corporate decisions.
James Talarico vs. Ken Paxton, the Pope on AI, and Caves
Robby Soave and Christian Britschgi discuss James Talarico changing his tune and how the Pope views artificial intelligence.
Anti-Tech Extremism Worries the Same Federal Government That's Been Fueling Anti-Tech Extremism
Plus: Plan B for STIs, justifying "deadly force" to protect fertilized eggs, and more.
How to Make Sure AI Doesn't Spy on Us or Kill Innocent People
If we want powerful AI systems to respect liberty, now is the time to train them to be more libertarian.
Magnifica Humanitas
Plus: Another round of strikes, developments in Kilmar Abrego Garcia case, weight-loss drug results, and more...
Data Centers Use Less Water Than Almond Farms—and Do More Good
Left and right, the arguments against data centers are incredibly weak—and even suspicious.
The Smartphone Theory of Birth Rate Decline Doesn't Hold Up
Fertility rates started falling centuries before the iPhone was introduced.
Stewart Brand on Fixing Stuff, Modern Environmentalism, and the Nuclear Future
"There's always a place in not just the market, but a range of situations and mindsets, for things that are cheap, fast, and just barely in control," the Whole Earth Catalog creator tells Reason.
The Global War on Free Speech
Jacob Mchangama and Jeff Kosseff discuss the global decline of free speech, why democracies are embracing censorship, and what can be done to protect open debate.
Why I'm Cheering for This New Anti-Porn, Anti-LGBT, Christian Phone Network
Free market solutions for the win!
Don't Blame ChatGPT for the Florida State Shooting
A new lawsuit claims that ChatGPT gave the shooter information about busy times on campus and how to use guns.
Expect the Data Center Backlash To Get Worse
Despite their limited negative externalities and extreme economic importance, people's hatred of data centers is only growing.
Photo: Technology Is Bringing Lost Paintings Into the Public Eye
This Rembrandt painting was identified by Dutch researchers after being held by a private individual for over 60 years.
A Dispatch From the AI Psychosis Summit
Digital artists, Claude devotees, and aspiring builders embraced AI obsession in NYC.
The War on Data Centers Is Here—and It Doesn't Add Up
So far, electricity prices haven't risen. If and when they do, the solution is more power generation.
How a Bill Banning AI Companions for Kids Could Usher in Widespread ID Checks Online
Plus: Supreme Court pauses ban on mail-order abortion pills, TikTok's artistic merit, a defense of pickup artists, and more...
AI Companies Learn the Word No
Some of the people building AI have started acting like it might be dangerous.
Self-Checkout Is Under Fire Across the Country. Is Theft Really the Reason?
The restrictions are often framed as a crime prevention measure. But the fine print points to a different motivation: adding union jobs.
A Journalism Tax Is a New Front in Australia's War on American Tech
A new bill would compel Meta, Google, and TikTok to pay for Australian journalism.
The Self-Driving Car Fight in Congress Isn't Really About Safety at All
Bootleggers, Baptists, and the fight over who gets to write America's self-driving car rules.
China Blocks Tech Acquisitions To Weaken America. The U.S. Shouldn't Follow Suit.
China ordered Meta to roll back its acquisition of AI startup Manus on Monday.
All New Cars Could Have Mandatory Surveillance Tech Unless Congress Stops This Mandate
Cars are already spying on drivers. A 2021 law requires manufacturers to install more tracking technology.
Andy Serkis: What Orwell Understood About Tyranny
Andy Serkis discusses the corrupting nature of power, what Animal Farm says about modern authoritarianism, and whether technology expands or diminishes human creativity.
A SCOTUS Case Exposes the Dangers of 2 Misguided Fourth Amendment Doctrines
"Geofence" searches illustrate the perilous combination of modern technology and deference to law enforcement.
SCOTUS Weighs 'Geofence Warrants' and the Future of Digital Privacy
The government wants access to millions of cell phone location histories. The Supreme Court will decide what the Fourth Amendment allows.
A New Age-Verification Bill Could Make You Show ID To Use a Computer or Smartphone
Plus: The war with Iran is raising condom prices, increased legal liability for chatbot advice could backfire, and more...
Kodak Invented This Film for World War II Spy Planes. Then It Became Art.
Aerochrome photography is a beautiful example of a warlike technology being turned toward peaceful ends.
This Big Tech Firm Wants To Reinstate the Draft
A look at Palantir’s bootlicking new manifesto.
Elon Musk's Mistaken Call for a 'Universal High Income'
AI will not create a jobless dystopia. Paying people a lot of money not to work would.
Photo: Ring Calls Off the Search Party
Following a backlash to its Super Bowl commercial, Ring owner Amazon announced that it was canceling a planned partnership with Flock Safety.
Keonne Rodriguez on Bitcoin, Privacy, and Going to Prison
"We thought we were on the right side of the law," the Samourai Wallet co-founder tells Reason.
Democrats and Republicans Both Want To Regulate AI. They Just Can't Agree on How.
As lawmakers of both major parties hustle to regulate their preferred villains, they're losing sight of the big picture. The possible gains to humanity from AI are enormous.
The Rise of the Information State
Jacob Siegel discusses how the internet reshaped political power, the rise of technocratic rule, and why information control keeps failing.
Bye-Bye, Bondi
Plus: pro-tech media sells to big tech, Trump's new tariffs, jobs numbers, and more...
NASA's Artemis Program Is a Monument to Government Waste. It Can Only Go Up From Here.
Man is finally getting closer to the moon—long delayed by NASA, red tape, and political meddling.
We Could Have Flying Cars by 2028
But only if politicians learn to focus on the boring basics of aviation policy.
FCC Bans Nearly All Wireless Routers Sold in the U.S.
The government says foreign-made routers pose a national security risk, but since basically all routers are made overseas, this amounts to a near-total ban.
Blame U.S. Regulations for China's Dominance in Rare-Earth Minerals
America once dominated the rare-earth market, but permitting requirements are holding the industry back.
Trump Just Released a Framework To Govern AI. Here Are 7 Key Takeaways.
The National AI Policy Framework is a return to the administration's pro-AI position.
